A. A small church, used here as a meeting hall.

Q. Where is it supposed to be on the show?

A. In Bon Temps, Louisiana.

Q. When did we see it on the show?

A. In Episode 5, of Season One: "Sparks Fly Out".

Sookie's grandmother, a tolerant sort, considers Bill a fine Southern gentleman. After learning that he actually fought in the war during his mortal life (as a vampire, he is now 173 years old), she thinks it would be perfect for him to address her group of local Civil War history enthusiasts, known as "The Descendants of the Glorious Dead".

Sookie talks Bill into accepting Gran's invitation.

The meeting is held inside the town's small, white church.

There's a big turnout among the townsfolk of Bon Temps, who are curious to get their first glimpse at a real vampire.

Hoyt's mother hastens to cover up the large cross on the church altar (using the American flag), assuming that a vampire would react badly to encountering a big cross.

When Bill enters, the first thing he does is to uncover the cross, telling the audience that vampires aren't adversely affected by crosses or churches.

He then goes on to do a masterful job of answering the townspeople's questions about vampires, while telling his personal story of the civil war, and generally charming the audience (in spite of a group rednecks who attempt to harass him with a garlic press).



UPDATE: In 2013, they used  the same church again in Episode 10 of Season 6 ("Radioactive"), for a scene where the people of Bon Temps get together - in the wake of a shortage of "True Blood" - to defend themselves against bands of roaming vampires.  They take a blood test for "Hep V" (a new virus created to kill vampires) and Sam tries to persuade those uninfected in the congregation to voluntarily allow a vampire to feed on them.

Q. What is it actually, in real life?

A. A church - but not in Louisiana.

Q. Where can I find it in real life?

A. This is actually the historic United Methodist Church , at 3875 Center Street, in Piru, CA.

The church was built in the winter of 1888, by the town founder, David C. Cook, a publisher of religious materials, from Elgin, Illinois, who had come to California for his health.  Near the church, he planted a garden with fruit trees mentioned in the Bible. The church contains a rare pipe organ built in 1862 (during the Civil War).

The church is located about a mile north of E. Telegraph Road (the main highway in the area), at the north end of Church Street, at Church & Center.

Piru is a tiny town located north of Los Angeles, about 15 miles west of Six Flags Magic Mountain (in Valencia).

From downtown Los Angeles, you're in for a 50-mile drive up the 5 freeway and the SR-126.


 Here is an aerial photo of the church. And here is a map link. And here is a Google StreetView.





Above is an historic photo of the Piru church from long ago. As you can see,
they changed the steeple, but the rest of the church remains remarkably similar.